Free-wheeling system for vehicles



Aug. 1.8, 1936. I H. J. MURRAY FREEWHEELING SYSTEM FOR VEHICLES Filed May 2'?, 1951 H. J. MURRAY FREWHEELING SYSTEM FOR VEHIGLES Aug. 18, 1936.`

Filed May 27, 1951 2 sheets)-lshe'e'*b 2 Patented Aug. 18, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- 24v Claims.

My invention relates in general to a simple device for affecting the driving relations of a pair of power transmitting members.

One of the general objects of my invention is to provide means whereby a driving member may be automatically connected to a driven member when the ow of power is in one direction, and selectively connected when the flow of power is in the opposite direction.

Another object of my invention is to provide a double acting clutch organization whereby a clutch automatically acts in one direction in accordance with the speed relations of its movable elements and in the opposite direction in accordance with the manually controlled status of certain other of its movable elements.

Still another object of my invention is to provide means whereby a driving member may be manually placed in driving relation to a driven member in accordance with the operative status of a vehicle brake mechanism.

A further object of my invention is to provide a vehicle free wheeling system by means of which the flow of power in one direction will be automatically controlled by the motive power of the vehicle and the flow of power in the opposite direction will be controlled by the manual operation of the vehicle brake mechanism.

An additional object of my invention is to provide two automatic clutches whereby one of the clutches may be normally operative while the other of the said clutches is inoperative.

A still additional object of my invention is to provide a double acting clutch mechanism whereby power may be automatically transmitted from a driving element to a driven element, and selectively from a normally driven element to a normally driving element.

The invention also contemplates the co-operative association of a vehicle power transmission mechanism and a brake mechanism whereby the status of the power transmission will be varied due to the operation of the brake mechanism.

In the following description names will be given to parts for convenience of expression, but the names are intended to be as generic in their application to similar parts as the art will permit.

The invention allows numerous physical embodiments and two different types are herein illustrated for the purpose of showing the wide application of the invention, but it is understood that the showings in the drawings are largely diagrammatic merely being sufficient in detail to show applications of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a fragmentary view of part of a power transmission equipped with an embodiment of the inventive features as disclosed in this application. 5

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View taken along the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged view partly in sec- 10 tional elevation taken along the line 4-4 of Figure l, and shows the details of the camming means for releasing one of the clutching portions from an inactive status.

Figure 5 is a side View of the camming means 15 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view of part of a power transmission equipped with a modification of the inventive features shown in Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a transverse sectional View taken 20 along the line 1-1 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 8 8 of Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a top view of the means shown in Figure 8 with the manual control means omitted. 25(

cles, and a shaft I6 hereinafter designated as the 35' normally driven shaft and connected to drive the wheels of the said vehicle. The shafts I5 and I6 are positioned in axial alignment by means of the bearings I8 and 25 suitably positioned in the supporting members I1 and I9. mally driving power member l5 is a tubular member 23 provided with a hub extension 22 designed to be keyed to the shaft l5 by means of th-e pin 2| so that a movement of the driving shaft l5 will thereby cause the tubular member 23 to 45 rotate therewith. A tubular member 25 is rigidly keyed to the normally driven shaft 16 by means of a key 26. This tubular member 25 is formed with symmetrically positioned spoke like projections 53, 54, 55 and 56 having curved ex- 50 ternal surfaces arranged to receive the tubular projection 23. A flanged element 21 is fitted on to the tubular member 25 and secured to same by means of the pin 2'l--A. This element 2l is formed so as to receive two disc shaped c'ontrol 55 Keyed to the nor- 40,v

members 28 and 29 provided with a male cam 28A forming part of the disc element 28, and a female cam recess 2S--A forming a part of the disc element 29. A screw-threaded end member 21-B is formed so as to be received by a threaded portion of the element 21 so as to adjustably secure the threaded member 2L-B to the member 21 and thereby adjustably compress a seating element in the form of a spring 33. This spring 39 in turn will thus be caused to hold the members 28 and 29 against each other in desired operating relation. V

An irregularly disc shaped element 32 with' a flanged hub extension {i2-A is formed so as to rotate upon the cylindrical'member 25 and'to'4 when the pressure of the cammed element 28 is released;

A pair of "clutch element retainers 34 is attachedV to the element 32-A by means of the screws received by a threaded portion consti- 5* tutingtapped holes form-ed in the element 32--A so as to be rigidly attached thereto and to rotate therewith. Y

The methodof mounting and positioning the retainersrt be more clearly seen by reference to Figure ZWhich shows the arrangements of the elements of vFigure l taken at the section indicated by the line 2 2. The tubular member 25 is formed as shown so that movable clutching `elements such as 1, 33, 39, 49, 4l, 42,` l43, and 44 :are moved into operative positions by the relative movement of the driven member I6 and the driving member and the fiange extension 23. It should be noted that the engine or source of Ypower Yof the vehicle upon which the device is to be lmounted normaily rotates in a counter clock-V wise direction when'looking in the direction indicated by the line V2 2 of Figure 1. Thus it will be obvious that the flanged extension portion 23 will rotate in a counter clock-wise direction. `Let it now be assumed that the vehicle is still, the engine running, the conventional clutch in and all other parts of the line of transmission between the source of power. such as the engine and the rear wheels of the said vehicle are connected.

bestationary and the element 23 rotating in a Ycounter clock-wise direction. In this event theV clutching elements 31, 44 and 43 will be moved into position toconnect the elements-23 and I6 in a clutching relation, and thusmotion will be imparted to the driven shaft I5 from the element 23 through the clutching means 31, 38, 43 and 44 to the member l 6. Y

The shaft i6 may therefore be increased in its rate of rotation, and the speed of rotation of the element 23 may b-e decreased either by the decrease in the supply of power to the shaft l5, or for many other reasons. If thedriven shaft is given a higher speed of rotation than the element 23, the clutching portions 31, 38, 43 and 44 will be moved Vout of a clutching position so that no power will be imparted in the reverse direction or from the driven shaft I6 to the normally driving element 23, or a free wheeling condition will exist.

According to the present invention it is proposed to cause the means actuating Vthe brake mechanism of the vehicle to automatically prevent the free wheeling condition as above de.

scribed and to connect the normally driven member I6 which has become the driving element with the element 23 and thus connect the rear wheels to the engine as a function of applying the brakes to the vehicle. It is further proposed according to the present invention to provide means which will cause the change in the normal free VWheeling operation without any mental or additional physical effort on the part of the operator of the said vehicle.

The method of providing this means may be clearly seen by reference to Figures 1 and 2 Vwherein a double acting over-running clutch is `provided. When the normal forward driving clutch elements 31, 38, 43 and 44 have been released as herein described, it is obvious that they cannot be again placed into operation so long as the member I6 rotates at a fas-ter rate ofV speed than the member 23. Thus with a single acting clutch it isnot possible to change the free wheeling operation.

Referring again to Figure 2 there is shown clutchV elements 4|, 42, 39`and 40 which are arranged to be placed into clutching relation when the normally driven element I6 is operating in a counter clock-wise direction at a faster rate of speed than the normally driving element 23. It is obvious that these clutch elements would work at any and all times, that the speed of the normally driven member I6r exceeded that of the element 23. Thus with the arrangement shown with Figure 2 there could be no free wheeling. However, if the clutching elements 4l, 42, 39 and 4D are prevented from coming into operation, then the condition of free wheeling would continue as though the said Velements 39, 4D, 4| and 42 were absent. The means for restraining or preventingY the operation of these elements is shown as the barriers 34 connected to the irregularly f-ormed disc member 32-A rotating on the hub extension of the tubular member 25. These barriers 34 rotate about the'common axis with the member 32 when the said member 32--A is manually operated thereby to cause it to move axially against the compression of the spring 36 into clutching engagement with the friction face 24-A of the end member 24 rigidly attached to the normally driving element 23. more clearly seen by reference t-o Figure 5. The actuation is caused by the relative rotation of the cam members 28 and 29 about the element 21V This may be or arm 65 forming a portion of the cam disc member 29 to rotate same (say) in a clock-wise direction relative to the stationary cammed element 28, also provided with Van arm 63 having an enlargement 8| designed to surround the shaft 64 in a slidable manner.

The arm 65 of the cammed disc 29 is provided with an opening 66 through which a stationary rod 61 may pass. This rodk 61 is provided with a tight fitting washer portion 1l so that it may be securely fastened to a stationary portion of the vehicle 1B by means of the nut 14. A slidable spring stop 12 is so formed as to provide a seat for the spring 13 whereby the compression of the said spring may'thereby act through the said seat 12 against the arm 65 so as to return the arm 65 to the stop 69 and thereby place the cammed sumed to be in an operative position and thus the two cammed elements 28 and 29 have been moved relative to each other as shown in Figure 5 and the male cam 28-A has moved out of the female cam 29-A and thereby imparted an axial movement to the cammed disc 28 so as to move it against the opposition of the spring 39 positioned by the end flanged portion 3| of the tubular member 21. It is obvious however that the continued movement of the cammed member such as 28 will bring it into contact with the control member 32 in turn to move the said member 32 against its positioning spring 35 thereby to eventually cause the control member 32 to be forced against the frictional surface 24-A as shown in Figure 5. But the member I6 is moving faster in a counter clock-wise direction than the normally driving member 23 during a free wheeling condition. Thus the element 32 and the friction member 2li- A have relative motion and thus the member 32 will tend to be retarded to the spec-d of the friction element 24-A. Such action will rotate the member 32 about the hub extension 59 of the tubular member 25 and the barriers 34 will thus be rotated to compress the springs 58 and 51 and away from the clutching rollers such as 49 and 4| so as to release same from an unclutching or inoperative position.

It should now be evident that the n-ormally driven element I6 will promptly be connecte-d with the normally driving element 23 to impart power to same, and thus the free wheeling condition will no longer exist. By the means provided according to this disclosure, it is evident that the vehicle may be connected to the source of power by the operation of the conventional brake lever, and that as long as the brake lever is not operated, the condition of free .wheeling Will normally continue to exist.

If the brake lever is returned to an inoperative position the cammed elements 28 and 29 will be returned to their normally inoperative position. This is true because when the manual pressure is removed fr-om the connection 11, the power compressed in the spring 13 will act to move the spring seat 12 downward along the rod 61 thereby moving the lever 65 to reseat the cams 28-A and 29-A as shown in Figure 1. If the normally driven element I6 is still rotating at a faster rate of speed than the normally driving element 23, free wheeling conditions will again be obtained.

Figure 3 indicates a sectional elevation of the means of Figure l at the section indicated at the line 3-3 and is shown mainly to illustrate the means for definitely locating the barriers 34 in a certain inoperative position. The member 32-A is shown positioned on the hub extension 59 formed with stop elements 62 so thatthe disc member 32 will be pushed back in a relatively counter clock-wise direction by the springs 51 and 59 which were compressed in the unl-ocking operation until the shoulder portions 52-B of the element 32 come to rest against the stop elements 92 of the hub extension 59 of the tubular member 25. Thus the barriers are always positively positioned so that the clutching elements 39, 49, 4|, and 42 cannot possibly move into a clutching position unless intentionally so moved by the operator of the vehicle in the normal act of applying the brakes to the same.

The plates or barriers 34 thus act as a lock or resistor to the engagement of the clutching elements such as 39, 49, 4| and 42. According to the present disclosure, I have provided means to selectively control the ilow of power from the wheels of a movable vehicle to the engine, Whereby the wheels and the engine may be connected at will during. a condition of free Wheeling. I

have also provided a device which'will normally.

bring about a. free wheeling status, and in addition additional means controlled b-y the action of some conventional manually actuated part of a movable vehicle such as a brake-pedal to discontinue the free wheeling as a co-incidental actY tooth portion |29 provided with a recess designed to receive an extension bearingV portion |22 of the splined shaft 83. The shafts |2| and 83 are assumed to be in axial alignment when the roller bearing |23 is of the proper shape and4 form. A movable organization which may be generally designated as |92 is provided with a splined member 84 as may be more clearly seen by reference to Figure 7. 'I'his splined member 84 is provided with splines and is designed to rotate in unison with the normally driven splined shaft 83 to drive or be driven from the same. The member 84 is so formed as to have four spokes or ribs such as 81, 85, 86 and 88 formed to rotate in a cylindrical outer housing |9| so as to support the said member |9| at all times in concentric relation with the splined shaft 83.

The member 84 is also formed so as to receive a plurality of clutching elements such as 89, 99, 9|, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, which for the purpose of this description may be assumed to be solid cylinders and designed to engage the surfaces of the members 84 and |9| so that one may be driven from the other. The members 89, 99, 93 and 94 may be considered as the elements automatically moved into clutching relation by counter clockwise movement of the element |9| so as to drive the element 84 also in a counter clock-wire direction.

The clutching elements 95, 96, 9| and 92 may be considered as the clutching elements designed to be moved into clutching engagement when the member 94 is rotating counter clock-Wise at a faster rate than the element |9| is rotating counter clock-wise.

It should be noted, however, that the clutching elements 96, 95, 9| and 92 are normally prevented from moving into a clutching engagement by the barriers 91 and 98 of Figure '7 in the same manner that the barriers 34 of Figure 1 prevent the clutching elements 4|,'42, 39 and 49 of Figure 2 from moving into a clutching engagement.

The only difference in operation between Ythe clutching means of Figure'l and that of Figure 6 lies in the novelty that the driving and driven elements together with the clutching means may be moved bodily along a shaft in either direction so as to be connected at will to other power elements. The movable means shown in Figure 6 may be manually actuated by a conventional shift nger suitably placed in the shifting slot |91. When the shift finger in the slot |91 is moved so as to cause the member |92 to move to the right the clutch teeth |99 and ||9 will be meshed so as to effect a driving relation between the shaft Y. to move also along the shaft. `v

Y teeth |28 and a so called direct drive between the shafts |2| and 83 will be effected- It should be noted, however, that the means for controlling the action of the barriers 91 and 98 will have The method of providing for Vthis .movement may be more clearly seen by referenceto Figures 8 and 9. The cammed disc elements |34 and |35 as shown on Figures 6, 8 and9 are provided with extension arms |45 and |39. The armr|39 ends in a anged hollow member |44 Vdesigned to move along the shaft |48 parallel to the axis of the shaft 83 and positioned by supports |42 and |4| forming a portion of the vehicle. The shaft is also held against axial movementby the pins |43. The cammed member is provided with an extension arm v|45 arranged with a forked end with fingers |46 in which a shaft |41 may move as it rotates about the axis of the shaft |53 as is clearly shown in Figure` 9. cammedelements'lM-and |35 may be bodily moved with the member Y|02 in either direction, and still remain in an inoperative position', but

, ready to be operative so as to move theV fingers |33 and |32 Yriding in theradial opening |36 of the member |24 so as to move same to the left against the resistance of the spring |25 into contact with the frictional face |21 of member |28 secured tothemember IBI to rotate therei with. v

rotatably supported on the shaft |66 so that the connection portion |64 will lift up the rocker arm |48 against the resistance of the springs |63 and |62.

This action will crowd the disc |34 away from the disc |35 to theV left against the fingers |32 and |33 to move same to the left. The fingers |32 and |33 are employed to transmit axial force created by the camming action between the elements |34 and |35 to the member |24 carrying the barriers 98 and 91. The ring-shaped member |38 is slidably mounted on th'emember ||l| to position the said fingers |32 and |33 by means of the rivets |38 and to guide the said fingers as they are moved axially. The mainfunction of the said fingers |32 and |33 is to transmit axial force from the member |34 to the ring-shaped member 24 so as to move the member |24 against its seating spring |25 until it comes in contact with the friction surface |21, whence the barriers 91 andV 98 will be moved toward the spoke portions 81 and 88 to compress the springs 99 and |88, thus releasing the clutch elements95, 96, 9| and 92 froma locked position. If the speed of the shaft 83 is greater than the speed of the portion IDI, power will be transmitted from the shaft 83 through the member 84, thrlough the clutch elements 9|, 92, 95 and 96, thence to the normally driving element |9. This drivingcondition will Vexist as long as the operator continues to depress the brake lever |69 of Figure. When the rbrake, lever is released, the springs |62 and |63 will act to rotate the rocker arm |48 in aclockwise direction so as to rotate the arm |45 of the Thus the Y caxnrnedy disc member |35 ofA Figure 6 to reseat the male and female cams so as to bring the elements |34 and 35 together again. 'I'his action will cause the fingers |32 and |33 of Figure 8 to be moved back toward the right by the actionv of the compressed spring |25 so as to disengage the element |24 from the frictional surface |21 and thereby from the member 0|. After the element |24 has been moved back by spring |25 the member |24 will no longer tend to rotate with the members |28 and |0| and the springs 99 and |09 will move the barriers 98 and 91 back to their original locking position. This action will occur any time during the movement of the mem. ber |02 along the splined shaft 83. In connection with this action it should be noted that the driving power of the moving vehicle represented by its momentum may be `selectively employed by depressing the brake pedal to thus connect the car with the supply of power such as an internal combustion engine. This action may occur when ,the transmission is in a direct drive condition, or

attached to a stationary part of thetransmission casing, and the rocker arms |48 and |49 are positioned against axial movement by the screws |56 and |51. The springs |62 and |63 are attached to the arms and to the support members so that any energy caused by the rotation of Vthe rocker arms |48 and |49 may be employed to return same to their initial inoperative position when the manual pressure is released from the brake 'j pedal |69 of Figure 8. Y f

The portion |8|`is formed with a iiange` |29,

and a ring |28 is designed to be pressed into the' recess of the element IDI with a tight fit. Thus the clutch elem-ents 89 to 96 inclusive'are retained in position and the pressure of the shift lever in the slot |81 formed between the flanged portions |03 and |08 may be properly transmitted to move the portion |31 and splined member 84 along the splines.

It should be obvious that a vehicle equipped with such a device will be enabled to obtain the benefits of free wheeling, and Vyet at the same time also be enabled to employ the compression of the engine to aid in braking the motion of the car as well as to add safety in the normal driving of the car. It should also be noted that it will be possible to leave the carin gear o-n a hill if means are provided for holding the brake permanently in an operative position, or means are provided for manually operating the control wire |64 so as to cause the rocker arm |48 to be held up in a position to actuate the cam members Y |34 and |35.

While I have shown and have pointed out certain novel features of my invention, it should be obvious to those skilled in the art that various omissions and substitutions in the form and details of the device as illustrated may be employed, 1 by those skilled in the art without departing from when the driven element moves at a faster rate than the driving element, additional sets` cf roller clutching means movable into interfengaging position whenthe driving element tends to move 75" at a faster rate than the driven element, control means for selectively actuatingthe said rst named clutching means, said control means including two cammed disc shaped members mounted about a given axis whereby a rocking movement of one of the said members will impart an axial movement to the other said member, and manually contro-lled brake actuating mechanism for selectively actuating the control means.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a driving and a driven element mounted for relative movement about a common axis, a plurality of clutching means movable into driving relations, certain of said clutching means designed to so move when the driving member tends to rotate at a faster rate than the driven member, and certain other of the said clutching means designed to be selectively actuated by a manually controlled device thereby to become operative to effect a driving relation when the normally driven member becomes a driving member, said manually controlled device including two cammed disc shaped members mounted about the said common axis whereby a rocking movement of one of the said members will impart an axial movement to the other said member, and barrier means for causing the last named clutching means to become inactive when the rst named clutching means is active.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a driving member and a driven member, roller clutching means for automatically placing the said members in driving relation when the said driving member tends to move at a faster rate than the driven member, additional roller clutching means, said additional clutching means operatively connected to a manually operated vehicle brake controlling device, said connecting means including a plurality of movable barriers mounted for-rotation about a common axis and designed to selectively permit the said additional roller clutching means to connect the said members in driving relation when the said driving member is rotating at a slo-wer rate of speed than the driven member, and means also forming a portion of the said connecting means and including two cammed disc shaped members mounted about a common axis whereby a rocking movement of one of the said members equipped with an actuating arm connected to the said brake controlling device will impart vaxial movement to the other said member.

4. In a device of the class described, a driving and a driven element, clutching-means for automatically connecting the driving element to the driven element when the said driving element tends to rotate at a faster rate of speed than the driven element, said clutching means also acting to automatically disconnect the said driving and driven elements when the normally driven element is rotating at a faster rate of speed than the normally driving element, additional clutching means designed to be actuated by manually controlled elements to thereby selectively connect the said driving and driven` elements in driving relation when the said normally driven element becomes the driving element to thereby drive the normallyY driving element as a driven element, means constituting the said manually controlled elements, said means including two cammed disc shaped members mounted for rotatory motion about a common axis, an operating arm attached to one of the member designed to normally hold the said arm in an inoperative position, means for connecting the said arm in operative relation to the said brake lever whereby a movement of the said brake lever will operate the said arm, and means for limiting the movement of the said arm.

5. In a device or" the class described, a driving member and a driven shaft, a plurality of roller clutching means positioned between the said driving member and driven shaft for connecting the driving member to the driven shaft when its speed exceeds that oi the driven shaft and for automatically disconnecting the said shaft and member when the speed or the driven shaft exceeds that of the driving member, a plurality or additional clutching means normally inactive while the rst named clutching means are active, said last named clutching means designed to be selectively placed in position to becomev active to thereby connect the said driving member and driven shaft in driving relation as a function of the relative speeds of the said shaft and member, and means including a common rockable cam actuated axially shiftable clutch releasing means Vprovided with a friction surface and a plurality of fingers for placing the last named clutching means in an active condition.

6. In a device of the class described, a driving element and a driven element, means constituting a double acting clutch, said clutch including two separate sets o f roller clutching portions,

Yone of the said sets of roller clutching portions designed to automatically conne-ct said driving and driven elements in driving relation as a function ofthe difference in speed between the said elements, a second of the sets of roller clutching portions designed to be placed selectively in a condition to become operative due to its co-operative associationY with a manually actuated brake controlling mechanism including a brake pedal, and means operatively positioned between the said mechanism and said second setV of roller clutching portions and including three disc shaped members mountedabout a common axis, one of the saidmembers equipped with a friction surface, and the other said-members provided with mating cam portions for aifecting the operative status of the said last name clutching portions. Y

'7. In a power transmission mechanism forming a portion of a vehicle equipped with a brake pedal, including elements for eiecting speed change, means associated with the said speed change elements and including a pair of clutching organizations, onev of the .said clutching organizations designed to place the power transmission in a driving condition as a result of a diiference in speed ofthe said elementsr when manually actuated by control means operated from the brake pedal of the vehicle upon which the said transmission mechanism is installed, and the other of the said clutching organizations designed to be automatically actuated when the first named clutching organization is inoperative thereby to also place the said transmission in a driving condition as a function of the difference in speed of the said change speed elements, and disc shaped means mounted in axial alignment with the said change speed elements, and a third disc shaped friction member,including cammed portions constituting a part of the said control means. Y

8. In a power transmission, including a driving and a driven element. a pluralityof clutching means for causing the said elements vto asso Y,

sume a driving relation, one of the said clutching means including means designed to place the said elements in the said driving relation as a function of the difference in speed of the said elements, and theY other said clutching means including portions designed to be normally inactive except when manually disengaged from a normally inactive status, thereby to become also automatically active and thus engage the said driving and driven elements in a clutching relation, and means including a pair of disc shaped members mounted for rotary movement about the axis of the said driven element and a third disc shaped member equipped with a friction surface arranged to become active due to a relative movement of the said pair for permitting the said manual disengagement.

9. In a device of therclass described, a driving and a driven element mounted for relative movement about'a common axis, a plurality of sets of roller clutching means for'operatively connecttatively mounted on the said driven element, one of the said members formed with amale camV porton andconnected to a manually actuated brake element, a second member formed with a mating female cam portion, and a third of the said members equipped with a friction surface designed to engage with the said driving element when axially Vmoved* by the second said disc member.

10. In a free-wheeling power transmission or-A ganization including driving and driven elements, a. rst clutching means for normallypermitting automatic free Vwheeling relations between the said driving and driven elements when the said driven' element tends to rotate at Va faster speed' than the said driving element, a second clutching means, and manually actuated means for selectively causing the said second clutching means to become active and thereby permit the normally driven member to become the driving member and thereby drive the normally driving element as adriven element, said manually actuated means including three disc shaped members,

mounted on the said driven element, a first of the said members mounted for rotary movement and ,equipped withan operating lever and a male cam portion, a second of the said members slidably mounted against rotation and equipped with a female cam portion, and a third member designed to be selectively moved axially by the slidable movement of the second named member thereby to become co-operatively associated'with between the said shafts, and the other cf the' said clutches including portions designed to be normally inoperative, and to become active when tus thereafter to become automatically active inV the manner described for the first named automatically actuated clutch, and means including portions designed to be manually operated thereby to effect the said release, certain of the said portions including a first named disc shaped member equipped with an operating lever connected to a manually operated brake lever and a male cam portion, a second named member mounted for axial movement and formed with a mating cam portion, and a third disc shaped member provided with a friction portion designed to engage a portion of one of the shafts to be rotated thereby as the said third named member is moved axially by the second named member.' A

12. In a device of the class described, the combination of two members having relative rotary movement about a common axis, said mem- Y bers provided with two separate sets of roller clutch elements each setk designed to separately act to cause a driving relation between the said members, one of said sets of clutch elements arranged to act automatically due to a difference in speed of the said members, and the other of said sets of clutch elements arranged to be normally inactive, means constituting a manuallyV operable brake lever, means including a rotatably Y mounted friction faced disc equipped with a plurality of restraining fingers for releasing the said Vlast named set from the said inactive status, said friction disc means actuated due to its co-operative relation with thesaid manually controlled brake lever, and means including two cam faced discsV provided with cams whereby rotation of one of the said cammed discs will cause axial movement of the other said cammed disc and thus permit the Vsaid manual control to Vthereby actuate the said friction discl and therethrough the said releasing means. I 13. In a deviceof the class described, the combination of two sets of roller clutch elements mounted for rotary motion about a common axis of rotation each set designed to separately place a pair of power transmission members mounted about the said Vcommon axisin driving relation,

one of the said sets of clutch elements arranged Y for automatic operation as a result of the difference in speed relations of the said power merri-V Yto bers, and the other of the said sets of clutchesj including means also designed for selective operation due to a difference in speed relations of the said members when andas normally released from an inoperative status, means including an axially shiftable friction faced control means including a plurality of restraining fingers for effecting the Vsaid release, and means forming a.

portion of a vehicle brake mechanism for actuating the said control means.

14. In a power transmission mechanism, a

driving element, a driven element, a plurality of roller clutching means for connecting the said elements .thereby to establish a drive therebe-l said roller connectingrelements also including Y portions designed to become automatically operative as a function of the driving relations when unrestrained, and manually controlled friction Y means for selectively releasing the said roller portions from operative restraint, said means including certain portions axially slidable and rotatable relative to each other and to the said driven element and certain other cammed portions connected to manually actuated elements of a vehicle brake control mechanism.

15. In a change speed power transmission'device for movable vehicles including a pair of power shafts, a plurality of sets of roller clutching means for placing the said shafts in driving relation, certain of said clutching means designed tobe automatically operative as a function of the speed relations of the said shafts, said shafts and said clutching means mounted for relative rotation about a common axis, and projecting finger means for restraining the automatic action of certain other of vthe said roller clutching means, said restraining means including a manually controlled axially movable element provided with a friction face designed to be axially movable therewith.

16. The combination with a multi-speed power transmission including a pair of power members, one of which includes a plurality of speed changing elements, sets of axially movable roller clutch portions supported by one of the said members and adapted to individually and separately establish a plurality of driving relations between the said members, one of the said sets of clutch portions including elements arranged to be automatically operative as a function of the speed relations of the said members, the other of the said sets of clutch portions including elements designed to be normally inactive and to become automatically active when manually released from the said inoperative status, and manually controlled elements including axially movable frictional means and a plurality of axially movable camming means for effecting the said release.

1'7. In a free-wheeling power transmission mechanism, a rst named set of roller clutching means mounted for rotation about a common axis with driving and driven members and arranged for permitting the said members to assume the same speed when one of the said members tends to exceed the speed of the other member, means constituting the said driving and driven members, an additional set of roller clutching means for selectively connecting the said members in driving relation when the normally driven member tends to become a driving member, a plurality of restraining barrier ngers mounted for rotation about the said common axis and positioned in operative relation to the said additional set of roller clutching means, and remotely positioned manually actuated means including a vehicle brake lever, two cammed disc shaped members, means for connecting one of the disc shaped members to the said lever whereby the movement of the said lever may be employed to selectively move the said ngers and thereby selectively permit the operation of the said additional set of roller clutching means.

18. In a device of the character described, the combination with driving and driven members, of a coupling for said members comprising an abutment member, a cammed member having oppositely disposed cammed surfaces and gripping members in the form of rollers cooperating therewith to act as bidirectional clutches, manually controlled frictionally actuated barrier means in the path of the rollers of one cammed surface to prevent the operation thereof and cause the coupling members to act as a unidirectional clutch and axially shiftable means for connecting a member of the coupling with the driving member.

19. A clutch .device for coupling either of a pair of driving members with a driven member, comprising two unidirectional clutches acting in opposition to one another, means for rendering one of said clutches inoperative to cause said clutch device to act as a unidirectional clutch, said rendering means including cam actuated friotional portions for causing said clutch device to act as a bidirectional clutch, sai-d actuation of said frictional surfaces varied in intensity as a function of the speed relations' of the said driving and driven members'and a shiftable member for connecting said clutch device with either of said driving members.

20. A clutch device for connecting either of a pair of driving members with a driven member, comprising a pair of oppositely disposed unidirectional clutches in the form of rollers, a cammed member positioned to be actuated as a function of the relative speeds of the driving and driven members and a single axially shiftable means operatively associated with the cammed member for connecting one of the members of said clutch device with either of said driving members while selectively maintaining one of said clutches inoperative or operable.

2l. In a power transmission mechanism including a plurality of driving members and a driven member mounted for rotation about a common axis, a driving element and a driven element mounted for axial movement on the said driven member, said driving element arranged to be selectively moved into and out of engagement with the said driving members as the said driven element is positively connected to the driven member, a first roller clutch means for automatically connecting the said elements in a unidirectional driving relation when a selected driving member tends to rotate the driving element faster than the driven element and for disconnecting the said connection when the driven element tends to rotate faster than the driving element, and a second roller clutch means, roller clutch control barriers, and an axially shiftable cam actuated rockable control means provided with a friction face for selectively releasing the said barriers so as to permit the second named clutch rollers to connect the said elements in a driving relation when the driven element tends to rotate faster than the driving element.

22. A clutch device for coupling either of a pair of driving members with a driven member, comprising two unidirectional clutches, one of said clutches normally operative and the other clutch normally inoperative, means energized by the momentum of one of the driving members for causing the sai-d normally inoperative clutch to become operative to thus permit the said clutch device to act as a bidirectional clutch, remotely controlled means for inaugurating the action of the permitting means, and a shiftable member for connecting the said clutch device with either of the said driving members.

23. In a device of the character described, the combination with driving and driven members, of a coupling for said members comprising an abutment member, a cammed member having oppositely disposed cammed surfaces and gripping members in the form of rollers cooperating therewith to act as bidirectional clutches, means in the path of the rollers of one cammed surface to prevent the operation thereof and cause the coupling members to act as a unidirectional clutch, said preventing means including an element of a friction clutch and an axially shiftable member for connecting the said friction clutchw-ith the abutment member for causing the normally inoperative clutch to become operative to'thus permit the said clutch device to act as a bidirectional clutch, and axially movable means for connecting the said clutch device with either of the said driving members. Y

24. In a device of the character described,V the combination with a'plurality of driving members and a driven member, of a coupling for said members comprising an abutment member, a. cammed member having oppositely disposed cammed suras a unidirectional clutch, and remotely con-Y trolled-camming means for selectively operating the barrier means as a function of the rotation of either of the driving members to cause the coupling means to act as a bidirectional clutch. 10 Y HOWARD J. MURRAY. 

